I want to linger,,,
by Bloody Hatter
Summary: BJ and Hawkeye's last night together. Mad me cry writing it.


Author's Note: The song is just a song the councelors sang at camp, and it made a lasting impression so I wanted to put it in a story, and I thought MASH would work best. Enjoy. It's based in the last episode, but a different ending,sortof , more of what happened after their dinner together. They found out the night before that the war was ending,and it's their last night together. So Colonel Potter decides to have a candlelight ceremony.

(I changed a word in the song. It's actually camping, not many, but I thought it was more appropriate)

Disclaimer:_ I own nothing_

* * *

"Colonel Potter says we're going to have a candlelight ceremony tonight," Bj hears a voice say, and looks up into the prematurely lined face of Hawkeye Pierce. He nods.

"When?"

"At midnight," Hawkeye looks away, unable to meet the eyes of his friend, and walks away. BJ looks down at his hands. They had heard earlier that the war was over, and Bj knows he should be happy, and he is. Deliriously, overwhelmingly happy. He gets to see his daughter, his wife again, after so long! Yet, a part of him is so sad. Sad to be leaving the 4077, sad to not see these people again, sad to be leaving a place he had called home. But mostly, sad to be leaving the best friend he's ever, or will ever, have, Hawkeye Pierce.

The man had kept him sane, brought a smile to his face, while everything around him threatened to bring him to his knees. He couldn't look into the calm eyes of his friend without feeling tears tug at his own. Earlier he had thought he would be leaving without saying goodbye, and now that he was back...

Bj stands abruptly, not letting himself finish his own thought.

Later that night, they have their last dinner as a MASH. No, their last dinner as a family. Bj laughs with Hawkeye, cracks jokes, but he still can't look him in the eyes. Sooner than he can think, the dinner is over and he's heading to the Swamp with Hawkeye and Charles. Charles ducks in first, and Bj makes to follow, but he feels a hand on his forearm. He turns to Hawkeye, avoiding his eyes.

"Yeah?" he asks. 'No, not a goodbye. Please, not a goodbye' he silently pleads with the man.

"I-" Hawkeye starts, but then breaks off and smiles gently, "Don't forget to bring your candle for the ceremony tonight."

'What?' Bj thinks, blinking, then nods.

"I won't." He ducks into the Swamp, and Hawk follows. Too soon, much too soon, Hawkeye is prodding him awake.

"Come on, Beej, it's time," he says through the darkness. Bj reaches under his cot for his candle, and groggily follows Hawkeye. They stop in front of the mess tent, and Bj feels, rather than hears the presence of the entire company.

"Everyone take a partner," calls out the voice of Sherman Potter, and BJ instantly flocks toward Hawkeye, he can vaguely see nodding at him. The whole camp is quiet, listening for more instructions.

"Now split into two horizontal lines, a partner to a across from eachother." the voice rings out again, and Bj complies.

"Light your candles." the command again, and Bj stricks a match, and a light flares to life. His heart is beating faster strangely. Individual faces are bathed in a flickering light, and soon all candles are lit. A single voice begins the song.

"(Oo-Ooh) I want to linger (Oo-Ooh) A little longer."  
Bj's breath catches, and he joins in, along with others.

"(Oo-Ooh) A little longer here with you." Partners are starting to walk through the pathay of people, and Bj notices suddenly that he and Hawkeye are last in the line.

"(Oo-Ooh) It's such a perfect night  
(Oo-Ooh) It doesn't seem quite right  
(Oo-Ooh) That this should be my last with you" He looks across the aisle, at Father Mulcahy, who is standing next to Hawkeye. The priest nods at him, as if he understands. Tears threaten to overwhelm Bj's eyes, but he restraines them. 'Not yet...'

"(Oo-Ooh) And come September  
(Oo-Ooh) I will remember  
(Oo-Ooh) Our many days and friendships true" Bj's eyes are forced to Hawkeye and finally, for the first time in what seems like ages, he stares straight into them, and sees them sparkling with tears. Then it's their turn.

Every eye is turned to them as they walk towards eachother. They walk side by side through the aisle, not looking at eachother.

"(Oo-Ooh) And as the years go by  
(Oo-Ooh) I'll think of you and sigh" Bj's voice breaks as they reach the end and turn back to eachother. Hawkeye smiles slightly.

"(Oo-Ooh) This is good-night and not good-bye" Bj's tears finally overflow, spalshing onto his shirt.

"Goodnight," all candles go out as one. And, in the darkness, two men embrace for the time the spent together, for what they meant to eachother, but mostly, they embrace because they aren't ready to say good bye.

So... for now... all they said was goodnight.

* * *

Call me overemotional, but I'm nearly in tears. Reveiw, please! 


End file.
